Hnry resurrects the Soul Trader to save Aussies from tax-time hell in new national campaign

Australia’s leading digital tax and accounting service for sole traders Hnry, has launched a bold national campaign ahead of the dreaded Australian tax season, bringing its tongue-in-cheek ‘Soul Trader’ to screens, streets and speakers as part of a million-dollar media buy.

 

At the centre of the campaign is Hnry’s Grim Reaper-inspired character – an unlikely advocate for any brand – whose contempt for paperwork and surprisingly relatable tax-time woes serve as a nod to the realities of tax admin. Playing on the inevitability of death and taxes, the character flips the script on what an accounting service should look and sound like.

Originally one of 30 low-budget creative concepts developed and tested by Hnry’s mostly in-house team last year, the ‘Soul Trader’ stood out for its relatability through standout performance metrics. After emerging as a top performer, the character earned a national rollout through Hnry’s test-and-learn model.

“We never set out to put Death in the spotlight,” said Brandon Palmer, Head of Marketing at Hnry Australia. “But data-driven marketers and organisations can often find themselves in strange circumstances, and sometimes you have to let the data lead you.”

“The traditional marketing model often involves sinking millions into creative before any results are known – but at Hnry, we flip that model on its head. We work fast, test low-cost creative, and scale spend for the ideas that perform. That gives us the confidence that when we put above the line spend behind something, it’s already proven that it resonates with our audience.”

The new campaign builds on a high-performing digital run in New Zealand and a successful pilot in Queensland which saw a 35% uplift in signups and an 80% increase in web traffic. Now rolling out nationally, the campaign will air across five major BVOD providers, alongside high-impact out-of-home placements in Sydney and Melbourne – featuring everything from bus backs to tram sides – plus a targeted Spotify audio buy.

Produced alongside Wellington-based creative studio Couch Kumara, the campaign blends satire with substance – using the ‘Soul Trader’ to parody the burden of tax admin, while reinforcing Hnry’s all-in-one solution as a simpler, smarter alternative. It follows Hnry’s proven performance formula: relatable pain points, real-world humour, and a clear, empowering message – sole traders no longer need to dread tax time.

Palmer continued: “Our best-performing work has always come from putting real customers at the centre of the story. Sole traders are defined by passion, lifestyle, and independence, but we know tax and financial admin can provide unnecessary challenges. The ‘Soul Trader’ is our playful take on the same testimonial style that’s always worked for us – an unexpected character with familiar challenges and a genuine love for his line of work. It’s funny, it’s self-aware, and it still tells the same story: Hnry gives sole traders the freedom to focus on what they do best and never think about tax again.”

Founded in New Zealand in 2017 and driving growth in Australia since 2021, Hnry supports and empowers tens of thousands of sole traders and processes billions of dollars’ worth of payments every year across ANZ. This new campaign is set to accelerate Hnry’s next phase of growth, driving awareness, consideration and advocacy among Australia’s 1.6 million sole traders.

With appetite for the character growing, the ‘Soul Trader’ is primed to become a long-term fixture of Hnry’s brand platform.

Client: Hnry Australia
Creative: Michael Beveridge
Production: Couch Kumara

 

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